Portable desk extension

ABSTRACT

A sheet of stiff material ( 4 ) that attaches to a tablet armchair via a clamp ( 2 ) or FIG.  7.  This sheet can fold into a smaller item for easy transportation via the hinge ( 1 ).

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] Not applicable.

BACKGROUND

[0002] 1. Field of Invention

[0003] This invention relates to the tablet armchairs, specifically to the enlarged armrests in college lecture halls used as desks.

[0004] 2. Discussion of Prior Art

[0005] On chairs in college lecture halls the top of the right or left armrest is often enlarged for use as a desk. The ratio of the width of the chair-back to the breadth of the armrest/desk is often kept quite small to allow the occupant to easily enter and exit a chair. Consequently, occupants find it difficult placing much more than a piece of paper on top of their desks. In some lecture halls, the occupant can fold the armrest/desk into the armrest via the method similar to that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 1,196,050 to Watkins (1916). However, even the breadth of the armrest/desk that can fold into the armrest is kept quite small compared to the width of the chair-back.

[0006] Extended armrests work fine for note taking. However, large classes necessitate large exams that often require sheets of notes, calculators, books, erasers, several pencils and or pens. The small desk area forces chair occupants to juggle many items from their desk to their lap. This causes discomfort and occasionally the occupant will drop one of the items on the floor distracting themselves and others.

SUMMARY

[0007] The portable desk extension will clamp onto the tablet of the existing tablet armchair and stretch far beyond the existing armrest-desk structure providing the occupant with significantly more desk area. The portable desk will fold up and fit inside a backpack.

OBJECTS AD ADVANTAGES

[0008] Accordingly, several objects and advantages of my invention are:

[0009] (a) to reduce discomfort for students taking exams by providing them with more space to spread test-taking materials across.

[0010] (b) to reduce disruptive shuffling during exams.

[0011] Still further objects and advantages will become apparent from consideration of the ensuing description and drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0012]FIG. 1 shows an isometric view of the portable desk extender.

[0013]FIG. 2 shows a fully assembled top view of the portable desk extension.

[0014]FIG. 2A shows a section view of the clamp.

[0015]FIG. 2B shows a section view of the hinge.

[0016]FIG. 2C shows a section view of the pencil holder.

[0017]FIG. 3 is a top view of a static tablet armchair found on the University of California Berkeley campus in March 2001. Notice there is at least 12 inches of empty space before the next desk begins.

[0018] FIGS. 4 to 6 are folding tablet armchairs found in the University of Calif., Berkeley campus. Notice again, there is approximately 12 inches of empty space before the next desk.

[0019]FIG. 7 shows an alternative embodiment of the clamp.

REFERENCE NUMERALS IN DRAWINGS

[0020] 1 Hinge 2 Clamp 3 Pencil Holder 4 Desk Face 5 Screw Lever 6 Jam 7 Clamp lever 8 Push 9 Adjuster

DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0021] The face of the desk depicted in FIG. 2 is made of strong lightweight plastic or wood with high resistances to bending. The pencil holder (Numeral 3) is made by boring a small groove about a {fraction (1/16)}th if an inch deep and half an inch wide in the face of the desk.

[0022] The clamp shown in FIG. 2A is made of metal and is either bolted or riveted through the desk face. The bolts are also made of metal. At the bottom of the clamp a long metal screw with screws up and down allowing the user to clamp the portable desk extension onto desks of varying heights. The screw is turned with the long lever fastened to the screw's top (Numeral 5).

[0023] The hinge shown in FIG. 2B (Numeral 1) is made of metal and may or may not stretch from the top to the bottom of the portable desk depending of the weight of the desk face.

OPERATION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] The preferred embodiment of the portable desk extension is depicted in FIG. 2. An occupant will sit in a tablet armchair. If needed, the occupant will first unfold the armrest-desk. Then the occupant will unfold the portable desk extension, and clamp the portable desk extension onto the upper corner of the armrest-desk with the clamp (Numeral 2) shown in FIG. 2A.

[0025] Once the occupant wishes to exit the chair, the occupant, will unclamp the portable desk extension and fold it up. The occupant will then exit the desk as if there were no portable desk extension at all.

DESCRIPTION and OPERATION of ALTERNATIVE EMBODIMENTS

[0026] In the alternative embodiment of the clamp shown in FIG. 7, the occupant pushes the lever (Numeral 7) to the left. This pushes the plane (Numeral 8) into the desk. The occupant keeps pushing the level until it becomes jammed against the jam (Numeral 6). Now the normal force of the desk against the plane (Numeral 8) clamps the desk extension onto the tablet armrest until the occupant pushes the lever to the right, releasing the clamp.

[0027] The screw (Numeral 9) is used to adjust the height of the clamp so that the clamp may clip on desks of various different depths.

[0028] The pencil/pen holders are not critical to the operation of the invention, as the key feature of the invention is simply to provide the occupant with more desk space. Thus other embodiments of the invention may include a pencil clamp in place of a pencil groove, or possibly a clip for holding paper similar to the clip found on clipboards.

[0029] The hinge is not critical to the operation of the invention, and a piece of fabric may replace the hinge (Numeral 1).

CONCLUSION, RAMIFICATIONS, and SCOPE OF INVENTION

[0030] The desk extension will provide a useful tool for college students everywhere. In addition to the features mentioned above, the desk extension could include:

[0031] various clips and holders embedded in the face of the desk to hold calculators, books, or other useful items.

[0032] shoulder straps to conveniently move the portable desk extension without a backpack. Special care was taken in this design to ensure the portable desk extension could fit in a backpack. However, other means of transportation are possible and portable desk extensions could be designed to accommodate other means of transportation.

[0033] different materials. Also the materials could be coated to change the look or texture. For example, the face of the desk could be coated with glass that would allow the owner to draw on the face with dry erase “white board” markers.

[0034] The clamp method of fastening the portable desk extension to the desk could change without changing the invention. The screw clamp might be replaced with a spring loaded vise-grip wrench style clamp.

[0035] Different sizes and shapes of the portable desk extension to tailor the invention to different types of desks and customer tastes.

[0036] Different clamp placement to accommodate left and right hand tablet armchairs. The clamp could also be moved to accommodate different desk types and the portable desk extension could include a sliding mechanism for moving the clamp around.

[0037] A mechanism, different from a hinge, for folding the portable desk extension into a small package.

[0038] While my above description contains many specificities, these should not be construed as limitations on the scope of the invention, but rather as an exemplification of the preferred embodiment thereof. Many variations are possible. Thus, the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by the examples given. 

I claim:
 1. An article of furniture to extend to area of the writing portion of a tablet armchair, comprising: (a) a flat sheet of rigid material suitable for hand writing; (b) a fastener to attach the flat sheet to the tablet armchair; (c) a method of folding the sheet into an easily transported shape. 